My Initial Involvement with Animal Liberation

I guess my activism started about 40 years ago. I was living in South Africa at the time and on this particular day, I had been into town shopping. As I was walking toward the train station in Cape Town, I noticed a set of small stands with what appeared to be several large posters of dogs and cats. Two young men were staffing a table in front and speaking to passers by. I had to have a look; I have always loved animals and wanted to see what it was about. 

As I got closer, I started to realise exactly what I was looking at. The pictures were those of various animals, mostly dogs and cats, in a variety of laboratory testing situations. They were, in a word, horrific. I was young, naïve, and in shock. I do not recall how long I stood staring at them before I literally ran away. I somehow made my train and got home.  

Once inside my Mother noticed something wrong immediately, but I couldn't talk. I just sobbed and sobbed hysterically until she gave me a smack across my face to bring me out of it. I was then able to tell her what I had seen; although still crying and very emotional. My Mother calmed me down and then contacted a woman I had worked with on SPCA charity weeks.

Over the following week I met with the Mrs Platsky from the SPCA to discuss what I had seen and to talk about what I could do, where I could fit in. Mrs Platsky, was a lovely woman in her 70's, a more passionate and compassionate woman would have been hard to find. Aware that I wanted to work with animals in some capacity she wanted me to understand the brutal truths of exactly what I would be up against. She suggested I contact the organization to see if I could become part of their team at these exhibitions helping hand out flyers etc. Get a feel for it. This I did and it became the first of many groups I joined, each fighting different aspects of animal cruelty and torture.

Over time, I had learned of secret activities carried out by a certain individuals from these organizations. They weren't a specific group, just people who had gravitated towards each other through having the same passion and desire to right the wrongs. For obvious reasons they were not forthcoming about their identities or their activities and it took months before I knew for sure someone who was involved. I eventually approached one person and let him know that I very much wanted to participate. There could be no higher calling for me; to break in to laboratories and vivisection centres and to liberate the animals. It all sounded quite daring, noble and in a warped way, even exciting. Eventually, after a couple of private discussions, I was invited to join one of their strategizing meetings. There were six of us on this occasion, 4 men and 2 women. I was the youngest. In the group there was a qualified Vet, "Mark", whom I learned was a key figure because so many of the animals, unfortunately most, were in such critical conditions the only option was to end their suffering. The leader, or organizer, was "Dennis", a man of about 30ish (quite old to me back then). The rest of the group were the helpers, "Anwar" who was not much older than I was, "Tom" and "Marie" both in their mid twenties.

I am not sure who found or chose the target but it was possibly because one of the members of this group attended the nearby University and had learned of this little known, offsite facility. There really wasn't much to plan, we had a rough idea of the building layout, it was small, and Dennis went over everything, advising who had what task. We all agreed on the action date and on the chosen night, we met up, each of us knew what to do and we knew we had to get in and out with as little fuss and noise as possible.

The building was quite literally out in the veldt, quite some distance from the University. We still parked the van a fair distance away taking no chances. Armed with a few tools, some fold out carry boxes (in the hope of survivors) and Mark's "first aid" bag containing syringes and other things I did not want to know about, we made our way silently to the building. It often puzzles me that there was no one at this facility even at around 11pm but then, I suppose the perpetrators of these disgusting deeds had no care or reason to be there. Entering the building's main door was easy, no alarm system seemed to be in place (although it has been a while and I cannot recall how the doors were opened), we were inside the building within minutes. It was a small one-storey building with only a few rooms. Just prior to entering the Lab Dennis checked once more that we were all ready. Personal emotions on hold for the greater good; we entered.

I will never forget that first moment and what I saw; numerous rabbits and mice all in various stages of torture. I remember having the stupid fleeting thought - it's not very big so there can't be too much happening - No, it wasn't a large room, quite crude as "labs" go; in all there were about 20-25 animals.

There appeared to be 4 different procedures being carried out on the rabbits. Some had machinery strapped around their heads, some with one side of their bodies hooked up to machines by tubes in open gashes. Rabbits with their entire faces fixed inside what looked like some kind of gas mask and others seemingly untouched. None of the mice were doing to good. They appeared drugged; most were motionless, some moved or flopped around inside glass domes.

Anwar and I had to wait for the go ahead from the others before we could start our part so together, for the time being, we kept watch.

Dennis and Mark determined they could only liberate the rabbits, but due to the excessive nature and intrusion of the incisions, one group were euthanized along with the mice that were already almost dead. Marie and Tom set about assisting Mark and Dennis, I noticed them talking softly to the poor animals as they put them out of their misery. As soon as they began moving the animals out Anwar and I began our part - the destruction. We cut wires and cables, smashed anything that was easily breakable, ripped apart anything and everything we could. In an office towards the rear of the lab we found various instruments, files, containers and - would you believe - pet food! By the time we left, there was nothing worth "mending" and all files and notes destroyed. Job done!

I have no idea how long the whole operation took but we left as silently as we had arrived. Dennis drove, no one really spoke but once we had been travelling for about 10 minutes he pulled over, we all piled out and had a very long "group hug". Tearful, crying and shaking. I could not believe what had just happened. Mark tended to the rabbits which I found out later he nursed to health and released into a family park somewhere up the coast where there were other rabbits, tortoises, hedgehogs, etc.

As I talk about this now, it almost seems glamorous to be part of this 'renegade' group, dressing up in dark clothing, sworn to secrecy and out to rid the world of animal atrocities, but I can assure you it was not. While I was part of this group we targeted two other facilities and although quite different, one much smaller and one of similar size, our actions were the same. On one occasion, we were only a short distance from the scene when police cars flew past us but that was the closest we came to ever being caught. In all cases, once we left there no chance of further experimentation without great expense in replacing equipment. To the best of my knowledge at least two facilities closed permanently and were never reopened anywhere.

I didn't speak of these events to anyone for many years, not even my family knew I had been involved. But the things I'd seen haunted me day and night. I was only able to participate in a few raids and then I stopped, I couldn't face it again and for a long time I hated myself for not being able to continue. I completely lost faith and trust in humanity. But humanity includes the men and women who continue to carry out liberation raids, bare the horrific sights and live the nightmare over and over. They are hero's. The people who work in aniimal rescue centers, and other such places, are hero's, People who love and care for their animal friends and family members, are all hero's.

https://www.fightinganimaltesting.com An interesting site with excellent information.

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